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Mabel Greer’s Toyshop
Mabel Greer's Toyshop The band "YES" was previously known as the psychedelically named Mabel Greer's Toyshop. The group was founded in London by Clive Bayley and Bob Hagger in 1966. "Mabel" is an English progressive rock band, the music is marked by a combination of psychedelic, American blues and classically-influenced arrangements with poetic lyrics. The band morphed into the band “Yes” in July 1968, but reformed in 2014. Early years (1966–1968) The group was formed in 1966 by composer-guitarist and vocalist Clive Bayley, Drummer Bob Hagger and bassist Paul Rutledge. Bob Hagger had previously met Chris Squire, the bassist of the band “The Syn”, after having auditioned for them earlier. The Syn broke up in 1967 and Squire was asked to join Mabel. Peter Banks also from The Syn joined soon afterwards. Then, early in 1968, Chris met Jon Anderson in a London Soho nightclub and invited him to also join the band. Mabel worked in the London clubs and Universities around London, including The Marquee, Electric Garden, UFO and Happening 44. Some of the gigs are listed in a book by David Watkinson called “Yes, Perpetual Change” published by Plexus, London in 2001. David Watkinson talks about the beginnings of Mabel and Yes. A previous book by Chris Welch, published by Omnibus Press in the year 2000 also talks about Mabel and the evolution of the band Yes. They did a number of gigs with this early line-up, and one night, the 21st October 1967, they were seen at a club called Middle Earth in Covent Garden, London, by Jimi Hendrix and Chas Chandler. During this time the band also met the famous disc jockey John Peel at his house in Fulham. John invited them to play on his BBC radio programme called Night Ride, which they did on March 3, 1968. Some of the tracks eventually showed up on a compilation of British psychedelic rarities, “The Roots of Yes” a CD by Peter Banks and includes the original recording of “Beyond and Before” also featured on the first Yes Album. Mabel also did some demo recording session with the well-known producer Mike Leander for MCA records. One of the last gig's for Mabel Greer’s Toyshop was May 2, 1968 in Highgate, London. The line-up was Chris Squire, Jon Anderson, Peter Banks, Clive Bayley and Bob Hagger. The night was described by Bob on the inside cover of the CD “The Word is Live” released in 2008 on the fortieth anniversary of the band. Bill Bruford replaced Bob Hagger in July 1968, Tony Kaye joined on keyboards and Mabel Greer’s Toyshop became “Yes”. Clive then left the band in late 1968. Peter Banks came up with the three letter name, with the rationale that it would stand out on posters. “Yes” played their first show at East Mersey Youth Camp in England on August 4, 1968 under the new name. Soon after this, they opened for Cream at their 1968 Farewell Concert from Royal Albert Hall. Early on, and in addition to their original works, the group earned a reputation for taking other people's songs and drastically changing them into expanded, progressive compositions. In September, they subbed for an absent Sly and The Family Stone at Blaise's night club and as a result of that gained a new residency at The Marquee club. Soon after, they made their second radio appearance on John Peel's programme (after previously having played the show as Mabel Greer's Toyshop) and, when Melody Maker columnist Tony Wilson selected them and Led Zeppelin as the two bands "Most Likely To Succeed" (as he states on the liner notes of the band's debut LP), it appeared that their future was assured.